Let There Be Morning
by SquintSquad17
Summary: A decade after Lilly Kane's death, another girl is murdered in Neptune. When the victim's family asks Veronica for help, she finds herself thrown back into a town she tried to leave behind, with a case that brings back memories she'd rather forget. LoVe
1. Prologue

**A/N**: What's the best thing to do when you already have stories you should be finishing? Start another one, of course! Anyway, the title's from the Perishers song by the same name. Hope you enjoy it as it's a bit of a doozy. Let me know what you think! :)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Veronica Mars. If I did, Jason Dohring would never be allowed to wear a shirt. Ever.

_-x-_

_It's been ten years since my best friend Lilly Kane died._

To be perfectly honest, I don't always believe it – it's strange to think about how much time has passed since then, about how much she's missed. Parties, graduations, weddings – so many things she wasn't, and will never be, a part of. But it's even stranger to think about what would have happened if she _had_ been here for all of that. I can't stop myself from imagining what she'd look like, or from wondering whether she'd be married by now – or maybe halfway across Europe doing things that would severely counteract her mother's Botox injections.

I know it'll drive me crazy if I play too many games of What if? but sometimes, especially on days like today, I can't help myself. It's just too tempting. What would everything be like if I had been with her on that day? If she and Logan hadn't broken up? If she had never slept with Aaron in the first place?

There are so many variables that played into her death – change one tiny thing and the whole picture shifts into something entirely unrecognizable. It's more than a little mind-blowing to think about. But no matter how I try to spin it, my remembering boils down to one truth: Lilly is gone, and there is nothing that will ever change that. The repercussions of her death, however, still linger.

It's been ten years since my parents' marriage fell apart. Ten years since my mother left town. Ten years since Celeste and Jake Kane lost their only daughter and Duncan lost his sister; since Logan lost his girlfriend.

Ten years, and it's still not over for everyone who survived.

Lilly's death hovers over us, leaving us haunted by the ghost of a girl who was rebellious and passionate – everything I desperately wanted to be at sixteen. Sometimes, I think it was just like Lilly to do something like that: to make a dramatic exit and leave us to pick up the mess. Not that I blame her - not really, at least. It was a stupid thing to do, sure, but high schoolers shouldn't have to worry about sex tapes and ash trays used as murder weapons.

But while we're busy still recovering, the nightmare is happening all over again. Only this time, it's not my family or the Kanes who have to live through the hell of losing someone like Lilly.

No, this time, that honor belongs to the Albrights, another Neptune family. It was a shock, of course, to learn that such a small town could be rocked by another murder of a just-turned-seventeen year old heiress. No one had ever imagined that a tragedy like that would happen again.

You really think we'd know better by know, wouldn't you?

_-x-_

_**A/N2**__: _The next chapter should be up shortly (sometime tomorrow, I hope). Just think of this as an episode voiceover to lay the foundation of the story (which won't all be in first person and will hopefully be more interesting than the prologue)!


	2. Reasons Why

**A/N**: And let the mystery begin! Well, sort of. There's a bit of necessary exposition first.

--

She hadn't meant to follow the case – really, she hadn't. It was unhealthy, and besides, she knew no good could come of it. But, well, it wasn't as though that had ever stopped her before, and Veronica Mars had never been the best at changing her ways.

So, when she had first seen the story on the murder of Elaine Albright, there were too many similarities between Elaine's death and Lilly's for her simply to stay out of it. The coverage had caught her eye just as she was leaving her tiny apartment to track down a cheating husband, and though she was on a tight schedule, the fact that Neptune, California was making a New York news report was enough to make Veronica immediately stop in her tracks - philandering spouse be damned.

It had been three years since she'd graduated from Heartz, and just as many since she'd set foot in her hometown. Right after graduation, she'd bolted out of sunny California and moved cross-country to New York City. There were a lot of reasons why she'd chosen to leave, but the one she most easily admitted to herself was the fact that after the FBI internship hadn't turned out the way she'd planned, she had realized she'd wanted a permanent change of scenery once the next three years of college were over.

It wasn't that she had hated the idea of working as an agent, but more that Veronica had missed being able to bend the rules and tracking down the case no matter where it led. To put it simply, she missed being a PI. So, with her father's blessing and a shiny new degree, she'd opened a New York office of Mars Investigations after graduation. And as it turned out, people in the Big Apple had enough problems with cheating spouses and stolen belongings to keep her constantly busy.

But not busy enough, however, for her to completely ignore a high-profile murder case from Neptune. Veronica still remembered hearing the voice of the reporter just as she picked up the remote to flick off the television.

"_In a case eerily reminiscent to the decade-old murder of Lilly Kane, daughter of software mogul Jake Kane, another teenaged heiress has been found slain at her home in Neptune, California."_

Veronica's eyes had jerked up to screen, taking in a picture of a beautiful young girl with dark brown curls. The words **BILLIONAIRE'S DAUGHTER MURDERED **flashed boldly across the bottom of the screen, causing waves of familiar dread to rush over her.

"_Seventeen-year-old Elaine Albright, daughter of Gregory Albright, founder of Albright Incorporated, is believed to have been murdered late last night. The body was discovered by her younger brother at the Albright's residence."_

By this time, Veronica's breathing was a little ragged, and she'd sunk slowly down into the couch. Still, her eyes remained glued to the screen.

"_The Neptune Sheriff's Department has not released the names of any suspects at this time. In other news, the woman who claimed to be the…"_

At the abrupt change in subject, Veronica shut the television set off with a furious click of the remote. It had been ten years since Lilly's death, but the memory still brought back the same stinging pain every time. It took nearly all of her self-control to keep from calling her dad right away, begging to hear everything about the case. Keith would know, of course, but Veronica didn't want her father to think she was getting involved in something she didn't need to be anywhere near.

Instead, in the following days, she closely monitored any news about the Albright murder, wondering if there were some sort of strange link to Lilly's death. She slept awfully that week, blowing off a few of her clients and coming very close to shutting her office down for a few days. Finally, at the end of the next week, a man named Thomas Stewart was arrested. Stewart had been linked to the deaths of three other teenagers in the Neptune area, and it wasn't unreasonable for the sheriff to assume he had played a role in Elaine's death, too.

That night, Veronica had thanked God the case was solved so she could go back to her very comfortable routine of private investigating far away from Neptune. She really didn't think she could have taken much more of reading about a girl who seemed so much like Lilly.

The next day, however, she had returned to her office to find a message from her dad asking for a favor back home. Keith had received a call from Elaine's mother, Tara, requesting the help of Mars Investigations in discovering who "the true murderer" was. Her father had planned to work the case on his own, but Mrs. Albright had insisted Veronica be a part of it as well. According to Keith, her words had been, "She knows what it's like to lose something and not know the real reason why."

Veronica could tell her dad had struggled with the decision to take the case or not, but in the end had figured she would want to help. He, of course, had been right. It was things like these that she simply couldn't stay away from.

And it was for this reason, Veronica had flown back across the country and found herself driving a Mercury Milan from the airport towards her old apartment. She could almost hear the joke with every turn she made: _A Mars sighted back in Neptune driving a Mercury. _Planetary humor galore.

Her father had originally planned to pick her up from the airport, but had called at the last minute to say that a bail jumper was on the move. He'd promised to be home before she got there, though, and had set up a rental car. She supposed _he_ was the one to thank for the unfortunate car she was currently driving, but Veronica wasn't complaining too much, as it had been almost a year since Keith had come to visit her in New York.

She had just crossed into the Neptune city limits when her cell phone rang, startling her out of thoughts about the case.

She fumbled for a moment with the phone, but finally pulled it open. "Hello?"

Keith's voice greeted her brightly from the other end. "Hello, favorite daughter of mine who I've just happened to call after returning home and noticing we're out of ice cream and chocolate syrup."

Veronica rolled her eyes, a wide smiling slipping into place. "Dessert for dinner night already? Dad, it's only my first night back. People are going to think you don't care about your only child getting a nutritious meal."

"Veronica," her dad said, voice almost patronizing, "Rocky Road is nutrition for the _soul_. Have I taught you nothing?"

"Fine, fine." She sighed loudly. "I'm just now in Neptune, so I guess I can stop in the Sac 'N Pac for old time's sake."

"I knew I could count on you."

She could see the sign for the Sac 'N Pac a little further down the road, a surprisingly welcome landmark after so much time spent driving through nameless towns on her drive back from the airport. It came as a small surprise that she didn't feel quite as annoyed to be back in Neptune as she'd thought she would have.

"See you soon, Dad."

"Bye, honey."

Veronica hung up the phone and tossed it absentmindedly into the seat next to her. She turned the Milan into the parking lot and pulled into one of the few empty parking spaces, which was unfortunately next to a badly parked SUV.

Feeling caught in some sort of strange time warp, and half expecting to find Wallace waiting inside, she climbed out of the car and walked quickly into the store. No more than five minutes later, Veronica had grabbed ice cream for both herself and her father, loaded the basket with whipped cream and chocolate syrup, and was headed towards the checkout lane. If she hurried, she thought she just might be able to make it home before seven. She had more than a few questions for her dad about the case, and was more than ready to meet with the Albrights the following morning.

At the end of the aisle, Veronica turned the corner and, not paying much attention to her surroundings, ran straight into Logan Echolls.

_Well, _she thought dryly,_ welcome back to Neptune._


	3. Old Habits

**A/N**: Just be thankful it hasn't been a year. :) I just started college, so updates will still be on the slow side. I'll try to do better, though! Leave a review for encouragement, please!

--

_At the end of the aisle, Veronica turned the corner and, not paying much attention to her surroundings, ran straight into Logan Echolls._

The impact knocked her back a few steps, but she thankfully held onto the food she was holding and remained on her feet. She regained her balance and looked up, trying to tell herself that the feeling washing over her was absolutely nothing to worry about. Nothing at all. It didn't mean something bad would happen just because she was seeing her ex-boyfriend for the first time in almost three years. Really, it didn't.

Steeling herself for whatever awkward conversation was about to occur, Veronica glanced up at Logan. He looked almost exactly the same as he had the last time she had seen him. He seemed more tired, though, with hints of dark circles showing under his eyes. After a moment that seemed frozen in tim, her eyes caught his, and a flicker of surprise registered on Logan's face before his features slid seamlessly into a smirk that was all too familiar.

"Gee, Veronica," he drawled, "I know you've made it a habit of pretending I don't exist, but you can't _actually_ walk through me like I'm not here."

She smiled sweetly and replied without missing a bit. "Hmm, I guess I'd just gotten so used to you _not being there_, that I'd forgotten you could actually appear in person. Funny how that works."

_Well, way to go, Veronica. Just skip civility and go straight to the sarcasm. Forget all that stuff about letting bygones be bygones. Forget about being the bigger person. Forget about trying to act like running into Logan Echolls doesn't affect you at all._

He didn't respond to her comment, instead allowing a strained silence to fall between them. She shifted from foot to foot, glancing nervously down the baked good aisle (which they were standing in front of), trying to find something to focus on other than Logan's eyes. Which seemed to be intent on staring directly at her. Eventually, the lack of conversation became something close to unnerving, so Veronica filled it with the first question that came to mind.

"Why - what're you doing here?" She'd meant it as a simple question, something to make up for the barbs they'd already started to trade, but it came out sounding too much like an accusation. Logan, of course, noticed it, too.

"Well," he began slowly, "I still _live _in Neptune, so I'm here to do some grocery shopping. Like a normal resident. Why are you here?"

Veronica held up the chocolate syrup and ice cream. "Because I'm addicted to Rocky Road and Magic Shell. We all have our vices, right?"

"I meant why are you here in _Neptune_. The last time I checked, you were off investigating the cheaters and stealers in New York. Were there not enough lives to ruin in the Big Apple?"

_Actually, that's a a good question, Logan. Why am I here again? I can think of about a million other things I'd rather be doing, which would include being in the presence of Dick Casablancas._

She could lie, of course, and say something about visiting her father or that she was just passing through, but Veronica figured that if the investigation went anywhere, he'd find out the truth at some point.

"The Albright murder," she said finally. "The parents requested I look into their daughter's death. Apparently they remembered everything that happened with Aa - with Lily. And that I was involved in figuring out what really happened."

It didn't come as much of a shock when understanding flashed briefly across Logan's face. In fact, Veronica thought she might actually have been disappointed if he hadn't followed the case. It was just too similar to what had happened years ago for it not to be affecting.

"They don't think the man who was arrested did it?" he asked.

Veronica shook her head.

Logan's gaze darkened slightly. "Well, this all sounds alarmingly familiar. Do I need to call the cemetery and ask if Aaron's been body snatched?"

Had the circumstances been any different, Veronica probably would have laughed at that one. But as they were seeing each for the first time in what felt like forever at a Sac 'N Pac, she ignored the joke. "Well, the mother's insistent that the sheriff arrested the wrong guy; she's afraid he's still out there and might come after the rest of the family," she said.

"Well, I'm sure Hank will clear this mess right up," Logan said, smiling brightly. The grin, however, didn't come close to reaching his eyes.

Through conversations with her dad, Veronica knew Logan was talking about the sheriff who had taken over after Vinnie had left office. "From what I've heard, Hank Roberts is almost as bad as Lamb," she said.

"Then you've heard correctly," Logan said. "Let's see. Combine the dearly departed Don's stupidity with Vinnie's taste for corruption and you've got the sheriff pegged."

Veronica sighed. "That's what I was afraid of. I should have figured I wouldn't be getting much help from anyone in Neptune."

"Well, I can save you some time," Logan said. His voice was dripping with sarcasm, but there was a hint of bitterness in his eyes that spoke volumes. "I was in a business meeting that night. There's security footage, witnesses – the whole nine yards."

"Wow, I'm shocked," Veronica replied.

Logan's eyebrows shot up. "That I'm innocent for once? Me, too."

"No," Veronica explained, shaking her head, "that you've managed to find a job."

"Oh, you haven't heard? I took over for Miss James when she retired," Logan said. "Angsty teenagers are my calling. Apparently it's encouraging when they find out their lives aren't nearly as messed up as mine was at that age."

Veronica's eyes widened. "You've got to be kidding me."

He grinned. "Yeah, I am."

_Thank God. It's not like the children of Neptune's finest need to know how to organize bum fights._

"So what do you really do, then?" she asked. The last time she'd been in the same state as Logan, he'd been deciding on whether or not to attend grad school. She obviously hadn't stayed around long enough to find out what he'd chosen.

"I'm an investor." Logan reached inside one of his jacket pockets and pulled out a business card, flourishing it at her.

"Ah, I should have known; only you would make money by doing nothing." Veronica took a step forward and grabbed the card, not bothering to look at it before shoving it into her purse.

"True, but I do nothing so well."

"I bet," was her bored response. Another few moments passed, the silence falling once more. Feeling unsettled again, Veronica glanced at her watch, only to find that she was running much later than she'd meant to. "Anyway, I should probably get going. I don't want to keep my dad waiting."

"Of course not."

"Well, goodbye, Logan," she said. "It was, um, nice to see you."

_Nice? God, Veronica, tortuous would probably be a more accurate description. Or maybe traumatizing would be better._

Logan nodded. "Good luck with the case."

"Thanks," she said shortly. Then, after a small pause, she turned on her heel and walked away, heading toward the checkout lane. She had only taken a few steps when she heard him call out.

"And hey, Veronica?"

She spun back around and found that he was watching her closely, an emotion flashing across his face that she didn't care to identify. "Yeah?"

"Try to avoid getting stuck in a fridge this time, okay?" Logan smiled lopsidedly.

"But it's just so much _fun _to be trapped inside burning kitchen appliances," she said in mock-cheery voice, mirroring his expressing.

"_Veronica,_" he ground out, looking exasperated. "Just promise, all right?"

"I'll do my best," she replied grudgingly.

"See you around, then." And without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked the other way.

Logan's long strides took him out of her sight almost immediately, leaving her standing in the middle of the Sac 'N Pac, holding a bottle of Magic Shell and a carton of ice cream. And feeling completely lost.

_Welcome back to Neptune, all right. Won't this be fun? _

--

**A/N:** Next chapter = more mystery (I promise there's a legitimate one)! I just figured a bit of Logan might be nice, since he'll probably be a bit elusive in the next two chapters.


	4. Time Warp

**A/N**: I'm on a writing kick and not questioning it. Sorry for the wait—hopefully someone still wants to read what happens!

_-x-_

Veronica made it out of the Sac N Pac as quickly as she possibly could. Seeing Logan had left her unsettled – it'd been stranger and more difficult than she'd imagined. Not that she'd spend any time imagining what it would be like to run into Logan again. Right. Of course not.

Still, as she hurried through the parking lot toward her Milan, she could quite shake the feeling that she'd been sent spinning through some sort of bizarro time warp. All that was missing was a clandestine meeting with Weevil.

With a shake of her head, Veronica climbed into her car and tried to remind herself that she was only back in Neptune to solve the Albright case. In no way did that necessitate running into Logan Echolls a second time. (She did, however, think it might require catching up with Wallace, but that was another matter entirely. She'd been slacking on her BFF duties for far too long.)

The short drive home was uneventful – for the most part, at least. A brief glimpse of a yellow Xterra did nothing to calm Veronica's nerves. She had always hated that car. But barring the sighting of the SUV, she made it home safe and sound.

Once she'd parked the car, she grabbed the bag of groceries and her suitcase from the trunk and marched inside. Keith had left the door unlocked for her, so she stepped inside. Setting her suitcase down, she called, "Honey, I'm home!"

Her father was in the living room, alternately reading the newspaper and yelling at the TV. When he heard her voice, however, he set the paper aside and came to greet her. "I _thought_ my Spidey senses were tingling." He opened his arms, and Veronica stepped into them. "How was your flight, kiddo?"

"The same as usual." She moved back and into the kitchen to unpack her the grocery bag. "I brought the appropriate items for a Dinner of Champions."

"Just tell me you got Magic Shell."

"Of course I did," Veronica replied, looking up from the bag mock-scandalized. "It's like you don't know me at all."

Keith held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I'm just checking."

Veronica shook the bottle of Magic Shell at him. "I'll forgive you this once, but you'd be wise never to doubt me again."

They fell into comfortable conversation, and, one again, Veronica caught herself feeling like she was back in high school again. On edge from seeing Logan, eating dessert for dinner with her dad, the promise of an interesting investigation – it was as close as she had gotten to a normal routine ten years ago.

It wasn't until they had finished their ice cream (second helpings, in Veronica's case) that her father brought up the case.

"The Albrights want to meet you tomorrow. Well, Mrs. Albright does; the brother and father are out of town, " Keith said. "But try not to sleep until noon like you did every day the last time you visited."

"Jetlag – that's all I'm going to say."

"It doesn't take that many days to adjust to a few hours of time difference."

"Does, too." Veronica grinned, then sobered. "What does she want?"

"To go over the night of the murder, make sure you're acquainted with the facts."

Veronica nodded. "The usual, then."

"Sounds like it."

There was a pause where Veronica imagined that her father wanted to say something else about the case. Be careful, maybe. Don't get too close to this one. But whatever was on the tip of his tongue was interrupted by a yawn on her part, the long hours of travel finally catching up with her.

"I better get to bed," she said. She picked up the two empty bowls and set them in the sink; then, that done, she walked back over to kiss her father on the cheek. "'Night, Dad."

"Goodnight, honey," he called, his words following her down the hall and into the bedroom.

Then, after changing out of her clothes, Veronica fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

_-x-_

The house was gorgeous. That was the first thought that struck Veronica as she parked her Milan outside the Albrights' home. It was imposing, yet elegant.

_Well, Veronica, what were you expecting? This is 09er territory._

She walked up the front walkway, armed with her folder of notes about the case so far, and rang the doorbell. As she waited, a wave of anxiety washed over her, and she scolded herself for letting this case get to her before it had really begun. _It's been ten years_, she reminded herself firmly. _Ten years._

After a moment, the door swung open to reveal a plump woman who appeared to be the Albrights' housekeeper. Her grey-streaked hair was smoothed back into a tight bun, and although her eyes were kind, there was something about her presence that screamed no-nonsense.

"Hi, I'm Veronica Mars, and—"

"Of course, dear." She smiled and waved Veronica inside. "Mrs. Albright is expecting you. Right this way."

Veronica followed the woman – Mrs. Hughes, she introduced herself – through the inside of the house, which was just as beautiful, if not more so, than the exterior had been. Lush furniture, expensive-looking paintings, and hardwood floors were fixtures in each room she passed through. Like the Echolls' house, she thought. Or the Kanes'.

Veronica's comparisons were brought to an abrupt end, though, as Mrs. Hughes stopped in what was looked like a living room. She led Veronica to the plush couch, leaving her with assurances that Mrs. Albright would be there soon. When the housekeeper had disappeared to parts unknown, Veronica took the opportunity to observe the room. There wasn't anything unusual about it (save the extravagance of it all), but there was portrait on the back wall that caught her attention.

The newscasts had flashed pictures of Elaine Albright, so Veronica had known what she looked like, but this was different. It had been taken by a professional photographer – the kind of portrait set against an all-white background, with smooth lines and crisp quality. Elaine's hair was perfectly curled, her wide eyes sparkling with laughter.

"Miss Mars?"

Veronica started at the sound of a voice. She stood at once, turning to meet Mrs. Albright. "Call me Veronica," she said. "And you must be—"

"Tara Albright." The woman offered her hand to Veronica, who shook it immediately. Mrs. Albright was almost regal looking, with blue eyes that she had given to her daughter and hair neatly done up in a French twist. She was dressed in black, and the circles under her eyes stood out in stark contrast to her pale skin. "Please, let's sit."

Veronica did as she was told, then reached toward the coffee table to pick up the folder she had brought along. There was never any easy way to start conversations like this; Mrs. Albright may have wanted to speak to her, but that didn't mean she'd want to answer all of Veronica's questions. She cleared her throat and said, "I know it won't mean much, but I wanted to say how sorry I am for your loss." Mrs. Albright gave her a weak smile in thanks, and Veronica continued. "The first thing I wanted to know was why you questioned the arrest of Thomas Stewart?"

It seemed strange to Veronica that a mother would choose to ignore assurances from police that Stewart – the man who had been linked to three other killings close to Neptune – was responsible for her daughter's death. There was little physical evidence, but the circumstantial evidence was damning enough.

Mrs. Albright tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "It seemed too – too convenient," she began. "Elaine was – we found her at home. I don't know; those other girls, they were all blonde–" her eyes ran over Veronica's hair "–and at bars at the time, and Elaine wasn't…. She was pretty, of course, but she wasn't a – she didn't spend her time like _that_."

As far as reasons went, those weren't the strangest Veronica had heard, although it didn't explain away Stewart's presence in the neighborhood that night, or the fact that the method of killing – blunt force trauma to the head – had been the same.

"Do you have any idea of who might have done it?"

Mrs. Albright sighed heavily. "To be honest, not really. It was more of an instinct that Stewart wasn't responsible. Call it a mother's intuition."

Veronica nodded her understanding. "Did your daughter have any enemies that you know of?"

Mrs. Albright laughed, but it rang hollow in the space between them. "How many seventeen-year-olds have enemies that would want to kill them?"

_Oh, Mrs. Albright, if you only knew how many people hated me at that age…_

Out loud, Veronica said, "And your son, he's the one who found Elaine, is that right?"

"Kyle," she confirmed. "He's not even sixteen. He came home and–" Mrs. Albright paused, sniffing softly. "I'm sorry; it's a little hard to talk about. You'd think by now that I'd be getting used to the idea that I'll never see Elaine again…." She trailed off, her voice wobbling.

"There are some things you never get used to," Veronica said quietly.

Images of Lilly, all blonde hair and Cheshire grins, flashed through her mind. She thought of what she wanted to say to Mrs. Albright – that it never really got easier, you only got better at not thinking about it – but figured that wouldn't be the most comforting thing to say at the moment.

She let Mrs. Albright collect herself for a few seconds longer, before continuing, "And your neighbors, that would be the Youngs and the Morgans, right?"

"Yes. We don't know the Youngs very well, but they were out of town on that night. The Morgans, though, are like extended family – Elaine spent a lot of her time over there. She and Sarah – that's Travis and Melanie's only child – were inseparable."

Veronica smiled slightly, the words _the world is ready for you, Veronica Mars _ringing in her ears. Her grin faded, however, when she thought of what Sarah must be going through. It would be painful to talk about, she knew, but she also had the feeling that Sarah might be the key to this case. Some parents only knew what they wanted to about their children's lives. Which led her to her next question…

"Did Elaine have a boyfriend?"

Mrs. Albright shook her head. "She dated a boy named Ryan Wheeler for a while, but they broke up last month. Elaine seemed to be okay with it; or at least she never told me if she was upset about it. He came by the house a few days before her death, but I didn't see anything out of the ordinary happen."

"But Elaine wasn't dating anyone else at the time of her death?"

"Not that I know of, no."

Veronica glanced down at her notes. "And you have a housekeeper, a chef, and a gardener, correct?" She ticked off each employee, trying to keep out thoughts about how painfully _09er_ it seemed.

"Yes. Mrs. Hughes and Eli have been with us since the kids were newborns. I trust them completely."

"But the gardener?"

"His name is David Elmore. He started working here about three months ago; he came recommended from a family across town. I don't – well, he had an alibi. There are a few people who say he was at a bar about twenty minutes from here."

Veronica jotted down the information onto a blank sheet up paper, making a note of the years the employees had been with the Albrights. It wasn't much to go on, but she knew that sometimes it was the staff who knew everything that went on in a house. Mrs. Hughes, she was sure, would be a wealth of knowledge. She capped her pen and looked back up at Mrs. Albright. "And is there's anything else you can remember about that night, anything unusual?"

The woman paused for a moment, considering. Then, with a shake of her head, she said, "Nothing that I can think of."

Veronica nodded. "Thank you, Mrs. Albright. I know this must be difficult for you, but I'm going to do everything I can to find out who did this to your daughter."

"I just want to know why," Mrs. Albright replied, her voice sounding strained. "Elaine didn't deserve this – no one does – but she was only seventeen. She was so young." Her voice cracked on the final word, and she looked at Veronica through watery eyes. "Thank you for coming. I thought you might understand more than most people what it's like to lose someone like Lanie."

Veronica could only manage a weak smile. "I'll be in touch," she said.

Then, without any prompting from Mrs. Albright, Mrs. Hughes appeared by the couch to escort her from the house. Veronica said her thanks at the door, mentioned to Mrs. Hughes that she would be back to talk with the staff, and then walked quickly to her Milan. The drive home was spent mulling over what she'd learned about the case – not much, but enough to get started. She knew the main players, she just needed the motivations for each.

When Veronica made it home, her father was sitting at the table, paper in hand, waiting for her when she walked through the door..

"How was Mrs. Albright, honey?" he asked, not looking up.

"I don't know," Veronica said, sitting down at the table next to him. "I still think the whole thing is a little weird." She paused, wondering how much to elaborate. Then, after a slow exhale, she added, "It's hard not to think of Lilly."

"Well, I'm proud of you, Veronica," Keith said. "The Albrights deserve the truth."

"I know." Veronica smiled weakly. "That's why I'm here."

A comfortable silence fell between them, and Veronica thought absently about what she would do tomorrow. She'd talk to the neighbors – the Morgans – first. Then it would be on to the boys, the new gardner and the old boyfriend – David Elmore and Ryan Wheeler. Mr. Albright and Kyle would be home in two days, and they'd be crucial to the investigation, she knew. Until then, though, there was a lot to get done.

_But I will find the truth_, Veronica promised herself. _I have to._

_-x-_

**A/N:** Next chapter: more investigation, an introduction to the not-so-friendly sheriff, and a small appearance from Logan!


	5. Parking Lot Tango

**A/N**: I hope there are at least a few people who remember this story! I'm sorry for the long time between updates — review it you make it to the bottom! (:

In retrospect, starting her day at the sheriff's office was probably not the best idea she'd ever had. Some donuts, some coffee, maybe some time to read the paper — that would have been just what Veronica needed. But after a call earlier that morning had revealed no one was home at the Morgans' house — the Albright's neighbors —she'd rearranged her plans for the day. That was why Veronica currently found herself reliving some less than pleasant memories of her time spent at the Neptune sheriff's department.

The front desk still looked the same, she thought. Well, that wasn't too surprising — everything about this _town_ still looked the same. She was half-surprised not to find Leo standing somewhere in the room drawling _Veronica Mars _at her. With a shake of her head, she called out a hello, hoping someone was nearby to help.

A man appeared almost immediately. It was Hank Roberts — that was clear to Veronica almost immediately. No one else at the sheriff's department would hold themselves with such obvious entitlement. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with pointed features and thinning blonde hair. His dark eyes were watching her closely. "Is there anything I can help you with, Miss…?"

"Mars," she supplied. There didn't seem to be any point in lying. He'd know who she was soon enough even without her help. "Veronica Mars."

Recognition flickered through Roberts' eyes, and there was a subtle shift in his stance, something that put Veronica on edge. Then, as quickly as the tension had come into his shoulders, it disappeared, replaced by a beaming smile. "So I'm finally in the presence of the famous Veronica Mars. It's a pleasure."

He held out a hand. Veronica shook it, trying to match his smile with one of her own. "It's nice to meet you, too, Sheriff Roberts," she said.

"I've heard plenty about you. You're quite the legend around Neptune, you know."

Although nothing he was saying was outwardly rude, Roberts' tone hinted that _legend _wasn't quite the word he wanted to use. Nuisance seemed more likely. An unwelcome complication. Veronica swallowed tightly and kept her tone light. "I'm still a little behind on the Neptune gossip, so I can't say I've heard much about you." _Nothing good, at least._

"Well, hopefully we'll be fast friends." There was that grin again. "Was there something you needed?"

Veronica hesitated for a short second before saying, "I was looking for a file."

"You mean the Albright girl's file." It wasn't a question. The fake smile disappeared.

_Elaine_, Veronica thought. _Her name is Elaine_. "Yes. Her mother asked me to reopen the investigation, and I was hoping to get the 911 call and whatever other information that's been made available."

The incident report might not be public record, but any police blotter information would be; along with the 911 call, the warrants and arrest details might be useful to her.

Roberts watched her through narrow eyes for a beat too long before saying, "Of course, of course." He looked over his shoulder to the man who had just walked into the room to take his place at the desk. "Officer Morales, could you pull the Albright folder for our friend Miss Mars?"

Officer Morales was young, maybe around her own age, and handsome. He quirked a grin at Veronica even as he answered Roberts. "Of course, sir."

"We'll be waiting in my office." Then, with a glance at Veronica, he added, "Come on, then. Let's have ourselves a chat."

Veronica fought the urge to roll her eyes at his attempt to make the word chat sound so ominous. All the same, she followed him dutifully down the hall and to the office. Not much had changed about the room – Vinnie's things were no longer there, obviously, but Roberts hadn't done much by way of decorating. No personal photos or knickknacks, no hints to his life outside of his job. That, if nothing else, told Veronica how far Roberts would go to keep order, to keep things as he liked them. If this job was his whole life — well, that only made him that much more dangerous. People fought hard to hold onto what they loved. She knew that better than anyone.

"Please, sit down." He settled into his own chair as he gestured to the straight-backed one that was across the desk from him. Veronica did as she was told. "Now, let's cut to the chase," he said. "We both know why you're here."

Veronica tried to keep the confusion from showing on her face. "I'm not sure what you mean," she said carefully.

"The Albright case has been closed, an arrest has been made," he said. The pretense from earlier was still no where in sight, and Veronica had the thought that this must be the real Roberts. "Thomas Stewart was linked to three other similar deaths in the area surrounding Neptune, and he had no alibi for the time of the murder. There is absolutely no reason to question his involvement in the case."

_God_, Veronica thought_, it's like listening to someone rattle off a news report._

Roberts continued, "We don't need someone prancing into town, disrupting the peace and worrying our citizens."

"If the real killer is still out there, people have a right to know," Veronica said, not quite winning the battle to keep her voice even. She'd managed to keep from bristling at the mention of _prancing_, though, and that was something. "Elaine deserves _justice_, not an arrest made to keep people comfortable."

Whatever reply Roberts was about to make was cut off by the door opening. "I made copies of that file, sir," Officer Morales said, holding it out in offering. He glanced between the sheriff and Veronica. A thick layer of tension hung in the air between them. "Sorry to barge in," he added.

"Not a problem, not a problem," Roberts replied; the smile was back, but it didn't meet his eyes. Veronica was beginning to think it never did.

Morales shuffled back through the door after leaving the folder on the edge of the desk. Roberts watched through narrowed eyes as the younger man left, then swung his gaze back to Veronica.

"It's not the Neptune you're used to, Miss Mars, so I'll cut you a break." Roberts paused and the smile returned. Almost predatory in its saccharine sweetness. "For now."

Veronica bit down on her tongue, determined to keep from snapping. She knew that was what he wanted, but it was still hard to maintain any semblance of self-control in the face of such complete and utter ignorance. She wouldn't give him anything to hold against her, though. She owed the Albrights that much. "Of course," she said, teeth gritted. "Thank you for your understanding."

Roberts stood up from his chair. The sign of dismissal was obvious. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a busy day ahead of me."

"I'm sure you do," she replied evenly. Veronica leaned forward and grabbed the copies Morales had made. She'd look at those far away from Roberts' scrutiny. "I'll just show myself out."

By the time she left the building, Veronica still hadn't gotten a handle on her temper. This, she thought, was why she had left Neptune. Nothing ever changed. It was the same story, over and over again.

Muttering curses under her breath, she stormed across the parking lot, so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't see the person in front of her until she'd run straight into them.

"Veronica," Logan said flatly. He took a step back and watched her with a wry look, a Starbucks cup in one hand. "We've got to stop meeting like this."

It took her a beat longer than usual to react. She was still distracted from her _chat _with the sheriff, and she knew it showed on her face. Veronica exhaled sharply and tugged at her shirt. "Stalking me, Echolls?"

Logan shrugged. "Got to pass the time somehow." There was a pause and he titled his head down toward her, considering her expression. "Are you all right? I was calling your name to get your attention, but you just barreled right into me."

"I'm fine."

"Yeah," Logan drawled, "I storm around with the fury of a thousand suns when I'm fine, too."

Veronica glanced away for a moment, wondering how much – if anything at all – she should share with Logan. "I just met the sheriff."

"Ah." Logan nodded in understanding. "That's always the best way to start your day. And how did you find dear Hank?"

Veronica scowled, her annoyance coming back in full force. "He wants me off the case."

"That's not surprising," Logan said. "Have you asked your dad about him?"

She shook her head. "I wanted to meet him first, make my own opinions."

"He's clearly made a wonderful impression."

"If someone had told me there could be a more incompetent sheriff than Lamb, I wouldn't have believed them." She sighed. "At least Vinnie knew most of what was going on around Neptune, even if he turned a blind eye to it. Roberts is just ignorant."

Logan opened his mouth to reply, then shut it quickly, lips pressed into a thin line.

"What?" Veronica asked.

"Nothing."

She gave a short laugh. "Come on, Logan. It's been three years, not three decades. I know when you're lying."

He hesitated for another moment, then, with a sigh, said, "I wouldn't write Roberts off so quickly. He may seem clueless, but I don't think that's the case."

"Really?"

Logan shrugged. "There's no proof, only speculation. But word on the street is that he stepped neatly into the connections with the Fitzgeralds."

"Great. That's just great." Veronica sighed. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"A guy can't casually stroll through the sheriff's department parking lot without getting the third degree?" Off Veronica's raised eyebrow, he smirked and added, "I was looking for you, actually."

"Me?"

"Unless you know another Veronica Mars."

"I'm the one and only, I'm afraid."

"Well, I thought you'd want to know the other Albrights are home: Daddy Dearest and Darling Brother," Logan explained.

That was certainly not what she was expecting. "They aren't supposed to back until tomorrow at the earliest."

"Well, apparently they had a reason to high-tail it back to Neptune. I saw them having walking into Franklin's with Mrs. Albright." He held up his cup of coffee — the Starbucks was right next door to the breakfast place. "Which is why I was coming to find you."

"You couldn't have called?" Veronica asked. Her voice came out a little sharper than she'd meant it to. She wasn't entirely sure why — there was just something about Logan that put her on her guard, she guessed.

"And miss this heartwarming welcome?" There was a pause before he added, "Your phone went to voicemail. I was driving home and saw you walk out of the office. I figured you'd want to talk to them as soon as possible."

Oh. She'd turned her phone one silent when she'd gone into the building. She hadn't wanted to be distracted by anything while talking to Roberts, and she'd been too flustered to check her messages when she'd started walking to her car. "Sorry," she muttered. "Thanks for letting me know."

Logan shrugged. "Now that my civic duty has been completed, I'll just be on my way."

Veronica nodded and said goodbye. She'd head to Franklin's, she decided, and try to talk to the Albrights. That way she'd be able to set up a time to interview them — and maybe have a chance to hear some of their conversation.

She took two steps toward her car, paused, then spun around. "Logan, wait!"

He turned, expression expectant. "Yes?"

"How hungry are you?" Veronica thought she might regret this, but it would look a little suspicious for her to show up and then eat alone. She could eavesdrop a little more easily on the Albrights if she had company.

Logan grinned. "Starving, actually. I only had time for coffee."

"Feel like eating at Franklin's?"

"Why, Veronica Mars, you read my mind."

**A/N: **Next time, our favorite duo partakes in a little brunch-time sleuthing (it's the best time to do that, don't you know?).


End file.
